“I forgot how quiet it is out here,” I say as I take it in. There’s no city sounds, music, or cars to be heard. Instead, we hear the slight chirps of birds getting ready to go to bed. From a faraway pond, a frog starts croaking.
“Yeah. It really is magic at this hour,” Lacy says softly, staring out over the grass and smiling. I watch her discretely, noting how peaceful she looks. And how pretty.
Grateful that she’s focused on the nature around us and not on me, I take the opportunity to start playing the song we wrote. Normally, I don’t get stage fright or anything like that. But playing this new song—folksy and romantic—in this intimate setting? It’s got me feeling nervous, for some reason. Or maybe it’s Lacy.
I watch her face as I play, seeing her smile at certain lines. As I strum the last note on the guitar and let it fade away into the cool night air, I look at her and wonder what she’s thinking. There’s a wistful smile on her face, almost sad. My heart twists at the sight. The last thing I want is to make Lacy sad with the music.
“So, what do you think?” I finally ask.
“It’s beautiful, Ben. You did amazing.”
“Wedid amazing.”
“Do you think it will be enough for Blake to win Jen back?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “Maybe. It’s tough though. The public eye is always on them, you know? It’s hard to make a relationship last that way.”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Well, you aren’t missing out. Celebrity relationships are a hassle.”
“I don’t just mean a celebrity relationship. Relationships in general.”
I pause, surprised.
“Come on, Lace, you’ve been in relationships.” I try to remember the guys she brought home in high school, but none come to mind.
“Yeah, but not a relationship worth writing a song about. I’ve never had that gut-twisting, rip-your-heart-out kind of love that great poets write about, you know?” She looks so wistful as she says the words, I get that painful pang in my heart again.
“I mean, I haven’t either,” I say, hoping to comfort her.
“Really?” She looks at me, her eyes wide. “But you’ve been in so many relationships!”
“Sure, but again—those celebrity relationships are hard. Sometimes they’re just for show, you know? Your publicist contacts their publicist to set up a date. It’s all very orchestrated.”
“Doesn’t that bum you out?” Lacy’s gaze is even and honest. Even though the light is dim, I can feel her eyes boring into me, making me uncomfortable.
“Honestly, I’m not sure everybody gets that kind of love in their lifetime,” I say.
“That’s sad,” Lacy replies softly.
“Is it? It just seems logical to me. Like that’s the way the world is for some people. Some people get the white picket fence and big love and a happy family…” My voice trails off.
“And other people?”
“Other people get to be rock stars,” I say lightly, trying to laugh. But there’s a lump in my chest. I ignore it.
“Or poets,” Lacy says quietly, looking serious.
“Lace, you’re definitely going to get big love in your life,” I say quietly.
She looks so despondent. I had been talking aboutmyselfwhen I said that some people don’t get big love. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that Lacy wouldn’t ever experience that level of romance.
“You think so?” She looks up at me, biting that plump bottom lip of hers.
“I know so,” I say encouragingly. I don’t know what comes over me, but I reach over and brush a piece of stray hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear. It feels like the most natural thing in the world, and for a second it almost felt like she leaned into my touch. “You’re definitely worthy of a relationship that deserves a love song.”
It’s true. Lacy is sweet and talented. And when she’s not frumping around in BSB t-shirts, she’s sexy as hell too. But she hides all of that from the world, it seems. Here, in the privacy of Rose Manor, I’ve been lucky enough to see it.